Belgian Rally News

[tommeke_B]

According to AUTOnews magazine (http://www.autonews-magazine.com/blog/?p=44168 ) WRC cars are (almost) banned for next year's BRC. It's known that organizers of some events didn't agree with banning the cars completely, so the RACB (federation) didn't ban them. Now they made some new rules... 1.6T WRC cars have to drive a 30mm restrictor (so they're like RRC used to be until now). Also for 2.0 WRC cars (they are still allowed) there shall be a rule making it forbidden to drive one if you have won a BRC rally in the past. In my country people like to make simple things complicated (not only for rallying), for me personally WRC cars should have been forbidden since 2007 or 2008 already, when the first S2000 cars were available.

[mas-racing]

[dupanton]

2016 should e a good year for the Belgian Championship, with programs for Loix (Fabia R5 by 2C Compétition, not with BMA), Verschueren (Fabia R5), Princen (208 R5), Citroën Belgium driver (Dilley?), Van Rompuy (DS3 R5) and Serderidis (DS3 R5).
And partial programs for others for sure, like Tanghe (3 rally's in Fiesta R5).

[manthey]

2016 should e a good year for the Belgian Championship, with programs for Loix (Fabia R5 by 2C Compétition, not with BMA), Verschueren (Fabia R5), Princen (208 R5), Citroën Belgium driver (Dilley?), Van Rompuy (DS3 R5) and Serderidis (DS3 R5).
And partial programs for others for sure, like Tanghe (3 rally's in Fiesta R5).

why Loix parted ways with BMA?

[tommeke_B]

why Loix parted ways with BMA?

The reason is officially unknown. Loix is working together with 2C Competition a lot, when doing tyre development tests for Michelin. So he knows the team very well and they know him, in 2012 and 2013 they had a very good cooperation (2012 in France with 207 S2000 and 307 WRC, 2013 with Focus WRC in Belgium). Thanks to all the testing work it's a good opportunity for Freddy and 2C to gather experience with the car. Logically it's more difficult to take anything from those tests to another team, apart from what you can remember as a driver.

[dupanton]

why Loix parted ways with BMA?

In the official statement today, they say 2C is (a lot) cheaper then BMA.

[manthey]

The reason is officially unknown. Loix is working together with 2C Competition a lot, when doing tyre development tests for Michelin. So he knows the team very well and they know him, in 2012 and 2013 they had a very good cooperation (2012 in France with 207 S2000 and 307 WRC, 2013 with Focus WRC in Belgium). Thanks to all the testing work it's a good opportunity for Freddy and 2C to gather experience with the car. Logically it's more difficult to take anything from those tests to another team, apart from what you can remember as a driver.

Thanks. Do you expect BMA will sign a driver to win the championship?

[tommeke_B]

In the official statement today, they say 2C is (a lot) cheaper then BMA.

Who is "they", and do you have any price quote maybe? In 2012 and 2013 half of the car was in colors of "Groupe Combronde" (big transport company that is family of the owner of 2C Competition), it could be the case again this year. Then you are not just a customer, you are somehow sponsored by them. I think it can be a bit more complex situation when things are not going like the driver/codriver and other sponsors want things to go. In normal conditions (which is not losing money on your business) I think it's very difficult for a team from Southern France to be (a lot) cheaper than BMA and still deliver a decent Fabia R5 and service like BMA did.

[mousti]

Thanks. Do you expect BMA will sign a driver to win the championship?

Seems they tried it to do it with Princen who has a big backer around him that is his co driver, but Peugeot Belux got a better offer..

[tommeke_B]

Design for the DS3 R5 of Van Rompuy, who will compete in the BRC.